The Top 5 MSP Blog Posts of February 2017

Can you believe it’s already March? With only one month left in the quarter, it’s time to focus on maximizing your client relationships, closing those deals and ending this month on a high note. Now, if only there were some blog posts out there that would help you do just that... Oh wait!

Although February is a month shorter in days, there was no shortage of valuable posts on the MSP Blog. A lot was covered this past month, including how to strengthen your MSP sales strategies for 2017, how to align your IT services with your clients’ and prospects’ business priorities, tools and tips for greater workplace productivity and much more! So without further ado, here are the top five blog posts our readers couldn’t get enough of this February.

As cited in CompTIA's 5th Annual Trends in Managed Services report, "the global managed-services market is predicted to grow to $193B by 2019, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 12.5%." What is fueling this impressive level of adoption? Why are so many business owners fans of your business model? We dug into this report and more to examine the top reasons small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMBs) list for working with MSPs and IT solutions providers. As you build your 2017 sales strategy, pay attention to these main market drivers.

You can spin up a server with your eyes closed, but one of the real challenges of being a managed services provider (MSP) is acquiring and retaining new business. Sales doesn't always come easily to people with technical backgrounds, and IT solutions providers often think you have to be born with sales skills to be successful. However, with the right strategies and training, all MSPs can master the art of the close.

The small- and medium-sized business (SMB) clients you serve today are placing a high priority on technology. Actually, two-thirds of SMBs indicate technology is a primary factor in pursuing their business objectives for the year ahead. They’re looking to move beyond simply managing and maintaining their infrastructure to utilizing technology to solve their business’ top problems. Many SMBs are wanting to increase their investment in technology and IT expertise, but some barriers still exist.

As your prospects try to find the right service provider, they’re carefully thinking about how they can focus on core business objectives without worrying about their IT needs. But did they know that in outsourcing to an MSP like you, they can experience more growth with your proactive, predictable and preventative IT services?

There’s no denying the importance of effectively demonstrating the value of your services to prospects—but what about existing customers? In this episode of The Weekly Byte, we dive into three ways you can show your value and stay top-of-mind with clients who are already purchasing from you. Tune in now to learn more!

Do you ever struggle with work piling on and on that you feel like you’re playing an endless game of catch-up? Our frustration peaks as productivity plummets and we're left with only one thought: "Where did the day go?"

We've all been there, right? We stare at our list of to-do items for the day knowing full well we can't cross them off until we buckle down and eliminate distractions. But let's face it, sometimes this works better in theory than in practice.

Well, there they are folks! I hope you've enjoyed these top posts from February. Be sure to subscribe to our MSPblog to get instant updates as we bring you more great content throughout the rest of March and beyond!

Meet Lily Teplow! After majoring in Communications and French, Lily graduated from South Carolina's Furman University and now takes on her new role as Content Marketing Associate and Blog Manager at Continuum. In her spare time, Lily enjoys singing, traveling, and cheering on her favorite Boston sports teams!